After struggling with getting a PSP that works, I finally have one and can start playing P3P. Because everyone secretly wishes they could role play as the opposite sex. And a week later I'm 50+ hours into the game, using everyone equally. Then myself from two years ago starts lecturing me on why its not worth doing that. So I'm gonna talk about the party members in terms of ability and usefulness throughout the game. Why? Cause I'm bored and ran out of boondocks episodes and zero punctuations to watch!

Gonna say it now. This topic will contain spoilers, however I will still try and use the tags. Idk how many people here who havent played the games would care but this is a courtesy. But only for the tall spoilers. This is written after 3 playthroughs of FES, and the current play of portable.

Yukari TakebaRating: A

Bitchy personality aside, she's kind of a staple in the team. You rely on her as a healer for the entire game almost. She has multi-target healing too, and the only other one who can do that is Ken. Her magic gets better as the game goes on, and so does her ability to deal damage. Really don't have a whole lot to say about this one. Just dont bring her into the fight against the hermit. Very comparable to Yukiko in P4.

Junpei IoriRating: D

You have to use him at the beginning until you get mitsuru. Or not. One time I just didn't use him out of protest. It's mean but early game I justify that because he is just bad. Weak physical and fire attacks, more likely to stumble with his weapon. Doesn't stay like that the whole way though thankfully. Later on his physical attacks hit harder. Alot harder. But this is a game where magic trumps physical most of the time. So his usefulness still doesn't rise much. I'd give him a C if he learned power charge, maybe even a B if you're just talking late game.

Akihiko SanadaRating: B

He's a jack of all trades, much like Yosuke. He has physical attacks, elemental, healing and (de)buffs. Plus he has very balanced stats. But it's not always a good thing. He doesn't excel at any of these things. Even with elec amp and items that boost his elec damage, he still pales to the others in raw power. His healing is single target, and his support moves are debuffs, not buffs. IMO there's enough of a difference to bitch about it. His melee weapons are fists, which i like because he's one of two playable characters that can use a strike type melee weapon (not counting the MC on FES). Plus they're very accurate. I give him a B because his utility is beneficial in most situations. This is a personal thing and irrelevant... but if he and Yosuke are so alike then why does it feel like Yosuke does it much better? Is it because you basically have to control the character to get the usefulness out of it (ala P3P), the debuff thing, or the fact that it's brosuke we're talking about? I don't know.

Mitsuru KirijoRating: A

The best attacker in the team, throughout the game. She has MIND CHARGE later on and can heal. Though it's only single target. Oh yeah and she has a couple of status moves. But those are useful maybe at one or two points in the game. KEEP MITSURU ON FULL ASSAULT UNLESS ITS PORTABLE. Because she has a nasty tendency to use said status moves if left on the default AI option. But that's really her only negative quality. I'd also like to mention that she crits like a beast. Idk if certain characters have a higher rate of criticals than others, or if its based on weapon or what. But in my personal experience she criticals more often than the other party members.

AigisRating: D

This one gives me headaches. She's just so damn useless until late game. She's a pure physical user with some buffs thrown in and healing late game. IMO that sets her apart from Junpei but not enough to make me wanna replace another party member with her. She becomes more of a utility later, but not as good as Akihiko or ken. It's just that she has better physicals and has a ranged weapon. Another thing i dislike about her is her weakness to electricity. I feel like I can't use her in the same team as Yukari or else risk the higher chance of random party rape. None of the other characters share weaknesses. Speaking of, electricity really fucks her. Her magic stat is meh, which means she'll take more damage from magic attacks. Orgia mode is interesting but never have i found a use for it. Complete gimmick. I will say though that she's capable of earning a C due to her ability to use all 3 type of party buffs. Can't say the same with Aki. But that comes LATE. Plus I'm naturally biased. So there.

KoromaruRating: C

I love the novelty of having a dog in your party. But I can't give points for that. Koro has dual elements, fire and darkness. Mudo skills are situational but being the only other one capable of them makes him better. His biggest asset IMO is his fucking amazing speed. Huge evasion and hit stats means he dodges and crits like a motherfucker. Although to balance that out, he's average elsewhere and isn't particularly sturdy. Also doesn't hit very hard. He still makes a better member than Junpei for majority of the game. Junpei doesn't get multi-target fire spells either. Plus he's only weak to light, and that doesnt come about very often.

Ken AmadaRating: B

I hate him. His battle dialogue, his character, his baby carrot size penis and the fact that he uses a lance that's twice as tall as him. But he's very useful as a utility character. Arguably better than Akihiko in that regard. He can use physical, electric moves, heal, and hama skills. Which is a nice niche. He can't buff, and he isnt as durable as Aki but at least he is only weak to darkness. What I like is how he has multi-target healing, which pits him up against Yukari for the spot of top healer. Also gets high tier physicals in the end, which unfortunately Akihiko doesn't. In fact, late game Akihiko doesnt even have physicals. Ken is good. What's keeping me from giving him an A is that he's neither a super strong hitter and he can't take much of a beating. He's a good choice if you're not using what i presume is the usual lineup of yukari, akihiko and mitsuru. He does two of those jobs by himself and lets you use someone else. But on the other hand, there is noone else who's really worth using over them in the end =_=

Shinjiro AragakiRating: E

It's a damn shame too. Anyone who's played it before knows why I might give him this grade.

Spoiler:

Primary reason is because he dies and is removed from your party after only having him for about a month where he didn't bring anything exciting to the team

But also, in the time you have to use him he doesn't particularly excel. He's designed as a tanky hard hitter. He gets power charge and the best physical attacks in the game, and all three types of physical too. But most people won't get that far. He has no resistances or weaknesses, which is why I kinda found him useful in the hermit boss fight who likes his electric attacks. But his movepool was limited to fatal end at the time too. His weapon has the worst accuracy overall, except maybe Yukari's bow. But it is a bash type, and variety is the spice of life. It feels like a complete waste giving him these potentially awesome tools.